(Radio Iowa)  – The state’s largest food bank plans to host a series of regional round table meetings, starting later this month, to address Iowa’s hunger problem. Annette Hacker is spokeswoman for the Food Bank of Iowa, which serves 55 Iowa counties. “We begin the day with a what we call regional round tables, an opportunity to gather community members to talk about food insecurity in our state and in your community and how Food Bank of Iowa and our community partners are working together to make sure Iowa’s children, families, seniors and veterans have the nutrition they need to thrive.” Hacker says they’ve held the regional round-table meetings for the past five or so years and they’ve been well received.

“We begin the day with the regional round table and then in the afternoon, we visit some of our partners around the state,” Hacker says, “and we have six regional round table opportunities this spring and summer.”

The round tables are planned for Newton on March 26th, Webster City on March 27th, Panora on March 28th, Albia on April 24th, Fairfield on April 25th and Algona on May 7th. All meetings begin at 10 a.m.

Following the round table meetings, Food Bank of Iowa representatives will tour community food banks to learn first-hand about their local food insecurity issues. Learn more at: foodbankiowa.org/roundtable24

MUSCATINE, Iowa (KWQC) – If you fancy yourself the owner of a private island, you have the opportunity to do so, providing you are ok with the island being on the Mississippi River, near Muscatine, and you have a good chunk of change available to blow.

KWQC reports for $1.5-million, 129-acres of land on Towhead Island near downtown Muscatine is for sale. Located over a mile south of downtown Muscatine, Towhead Island has been privately owned by a family for three generations. But has been a source of recreation for the public for decades.

Towhead Island, IA (photo from Zillow)

According to old newspaper articles in Muscatine, before ownership was transferred to a family, moonshiners used the island masquerading as fishermen.

If you are interested in purchasing the island, it is listed with a team at RE/MAX.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Auditor of State Rob Sand today (Thursday), released an audit report on City of Massena, Iowa. A summary of the report follows:

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS:
The City’s receipts totaled $3,780,006 for the year ended June 30, 2021. Disbursements for the year ended June 30, 2021 totaled $3,177,796.

AUDIT FINDINGS:
Sand reported thirteen findings related to the receipt and disbursement of taxpayer funds. The findings address issues such as a lack of segregation of duties, the lack of review of monthly bank reconciliations, the lack of reconciliations of utility billings, collections and delinquent accounts, disbursements exceeding budgeted amounts and a deficit fund balance. Sand provided the City with recommendations to address each of the findings.

The City Council has a fiduciary responsibility to provide oversight of the City’s operations and financial transactions. Oversight is typically defined as the “watchful and responsible care” a governing body exercises in its fiduciary capacity.

A copy of the audit report is available for review on the Auditor of State’s website at Audit Reports – Auditor of State.

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Applications are now being accepted for the 15th Annual Trevor Frederickson Memorial Scholarship. Trevor’s mom and Fund spokesperson Melanie Petty, says applications may be obtained from the Atlantic High School guidance office at 1201 E. 14th Street or the Atlantic High School website: www.atlanticiaschools.org.

Up to two $750 scholarships are available to those graduating from Atlantic High School in the spring of 2024. Applicants must plan to attend a college or vocational school, show involvement in school and/or community activities, supply a copy of their college acceptance letter, provide two letters of reference along with their 7 semester transcripts, and maintain academic achievement of 2.5 or better. The scholarships will be awarded at the Atlantic High School Class Night held in May.

Trevor Frederickson graduated from Atlantic High School in 2006. He went on to further his education at Southwestern Community College in Creston where he studied automotive mechanics and played baseball for the Southwestern Spartans. Two additional $750 scholarships will be available for Southwestern Community College students this fall. Trevor, who passed away in 2009, had plans of pursuing a career in law enforcement and returning to his hometown of Atlantic. Melanie Petty said “Anyone who knew Trevor, knew he valued family, life and community. Trevor continues to live on in our hearts and minds. To this day, Trevor is still giving back to the community he loved to be a part of.”

Trevor Frederickson

Funds for the scholarships are raised at an annual golf tournament. Plans are already in the works for the 16th Annual TFred Memorial Golf Tournament to be held on Saturday, June 15th, 2024. Organizers look forward to another successful tournament so they can continue to grant scholarships for many years to come.

(Red Oak, Iowa) – Police Officers in Red Oak were called at around 4:25-a.m. today (Thursday) to the 2400 block of N. 8th Street in Red Oak, following a report of a possible assault and criminal mischief. Upon further investigation, authorities say Officers went to the 1000 block of Cherry Street, as part of a follow-up. At that location, 42-year-old Troy Scott Williams was arrested for Harassment in the 2nd Degree, Interference with Official Acts, and Accessory after the Fact, for his involvement in the incident.

Williams was being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1,000 bond.

(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa House has approved a bill that sets up a state school safety grant program and, if a companion bill becomes law, it could provide extra pay to school staff who get a professional permit to carry a gun on school grounds. Representative Carter Nordman of Adel says it’s part of House Republicans’ response to the fatal shooting at Perry High School in January.

“This bill will make our students safer by investing in infrastructure and technology that we know will make our school buildings more secure. It will make our students safer by requiring school districts to prioritize safety before they prioritize flashy sports facilities,”Nordman says. “Democrats would pass restrictive gun laws, but none of the gun control bills that we’ve heard from Democrats would have prevented what happened in Perry, Des Moines East, Parkersburg or Starts Right Here.”

That’s a list of shootings in school facilities in Iowa. Democrats say the grants in this bill could be used to buy guns if school boards get authority to let employees be armed at school. Representative Ross Wilburn, a Democrat from Ames, says the bill’s a disappointment. “It’s important to point out that we all are in favor of keeping our schools safe, of keeping our communities safe,” Wilburn said. “We differ about how to go about doing that.”

Another Democrat said the legislature should be making it harder for a would-be school shooter to get a gun rather than making it easier to have more guns in schools. Since it is an appropriations bill, it is NOT subject to Friday’s deadline for committee action on policy bills.

(Radio Iowa) – A Republican senator is using his authority to block consideration of a bill that critics say could make in vitro fertilization illegal in Iowa. Under current law, there are criminal penalties for terminating a human pregnancy without consent. A bill approved by the House last Thursday increases those penalties, but for the crime of “causing the death of an unborn person” without consent. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Brad Zaun of Urbandale refused to bring the bill up for a vote in his committee.

“There was some definite concerns about In Vitro fertilization and the negative effects and unintended consequences with that and that was very problematic for myself,” Zaun says, “and so that’s why I pulled the bill.” Zaun blocked consideration of another bill that would create a new crime of “human smuggling” of undocumented immigrants, with a possible 10 year prison sentence for a conviction. House Republicans passed the bill last Thursday, saying it’s needed to give Iowa law enforcement authority to arrest those they suspect of illegally transporting migrants into Iowa.

“In the language, it was my interpretation as well as some of the people on the committee that there was some unintended consequences,” Zaun says. Relatives and religious organizations providing assistance to asylum seekers had urged senators to defeat the bill, arguing they could be arrested for driving someone to school or work. Zaun says the bill needed work and his committee didn’t have time to make adjustments.

“The House has passed over 250 bills and we have passed only 43 I have heard,” Zaun says. “The workload, obviously the volume is obviously quite a bit coming from the House and I probably shouldn’t even say this, but it is frustrating to me that we get these bills with a one-day, two-day (turn around), with the expectation that we keep it alive.” Friday is the deadline for policy bills like this one to have passed the House and cleared a Senate committee. The deadline works in reverse, too, and a couple of Senate passed bills have failed to make it out of House committees this week.

RED OAK  5:01-p.m., 3/13/24 – DNR staff continue to investigate the New Cooperative fertilizer spill near Red Oak in Montgomery County. The release has been stopped and clean-up efforts are still underway.

The product flowed several miles downstream of Red Oak in the East Nishnabotna River, reaching Missouri. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has been notified.

The DNR encourages private well owners in Montgomery, Page, and Fremont counties with wells in near proximity to the East Nishnabotna River to contact their county health department to test their wells for nitrate. This service is free using Iowa’s Grants-to-Counties (GTC) program. The DNR will be providing county health officials with lists of registered private wells that may be vulnerable.

Due to low water levels in the East Nishnabotna, the concentration of the liquid nitrogen fertilizer is higher than during normal stream flows, causing concern for all animals due to high nitrate and urea levels.

Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine Toxicologist Scott Radke recommends keeping all animals away from the East Nishnabotna River until the plume of contaminant moves out of the area.

The Iowa DNR is working with local, state and federal officials, and will continue to investigate impacts of the spill.

Original press release information from March 12, 2024:

Fertilizer spill in Montgomery County reaches East Nishnabotna River

RED OAK — On March 11, New Cooperative in Red Oak notified the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of a release on-site early Monday morning.

Approximately 1,500 tons of liquid nitrogen fertilizer (32% solution) discharged into a drainage ditch, then into the East Nishnabotna River. The release occurred due to a valve left open on an aboveground storage tank overnight. Areas of pooled fertilizer have been pumped into a vac truck and will be land applied later. Dead fish were observed in the East Nishnabotna. The extent of the fish kill is still being determined.

DNR field staff are on-site. Samples have been collected and will be analyzed. The investigation is on-going.

(Clarinda, Iowa/by Atlantic FFA reporter Lily Johnson) – On Saturday, March 2nd, 2024, 20 members of the Atlantic FFA chapter competed in the District Career Development Events at Clarinda High School.

Lauren Comes

During the District Business session Sophomore Lauren Comes was elected as the 2024-25 Southwest District Secretary. Lauren will have several new responsibilities in her new office. Lauren gave a speech and answered two questions earlier during the business session.

Lauren said, “Being selected as a district officer was truly an amazing experience. I am extremely grateful and excited for what the year will bring. I can’t wait to be able to represent the Atlantic FFA at a district level. Having the experience to advocate for this outstanding organization is an incredible opportunity.” Hayden Kleen and Keston Schmidt were the chapter delegates for Atlantic FFA at the convention.

Earning a Gold rating, placing 3rd earning the Alternate to the Iowa FFA State Convention was Lola Comes Extemporaneous Speaking.

Keegan Kemp

Also earning Gold was Charli Goff in Ag Welding and Keegan Kemp in Torch Welding.

Lola Comes

Claire Pellett competed in Public Speaking and earned a Silver rating, Makenna Schroeder completed in Chapter Website and the Conduct of Meetings Team earned a Silver.

Team members include Addie Freund, Addalyn Sonntag, Rylee Harlan, Jacquie Freund, Lily Johnson, Collin Harris and Maddy Anderson.

In the FFA Chapter Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 2 members participate. Earning a gold were Lauren Comes placing 11th and Lily Johnson placing 14th.

In the FFA Freshman Greenhand Quiz, Atlantic FFA had 6 members participate. Earning a Gold was Jacquelyn Freund. Receiving silvers were, Rylee Harlan, Addalyn Sonntag, Bailey Gresihaber, Maggie Cohrs. Receiving Bronze include Lily Willrich, and Kayedance Sturm.

Charli Goff

Competing in the Farm Business Management Test was Mia Kloewer placing 40th earning a Bronze medal.